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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "tax clearance" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
  • "clearance certificate" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. )
• This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
  
  1. They don't notify winners by email.
  2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
  3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
  4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
  5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
  6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
  7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.

Fraud email example:

From: INLANDTAX REVENUE <inlandtaxrevenue01@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 10:03:42 +0100 (BST)
Subject: URGENTLY PLEASE.




The Directorate-General for Tax and Customs PolicyMajor Companies/Individuals Tax Unit
Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA



Our Ref: MF/UK/CB-XX-02/08
RE: Procurement of Non residential tax Certificate.

Dear Winner,

Your mail has just reached our office.In regards to your mail,I will like to tell you that it is a dream,and you dont need to be worry of anything.

After all,there are many people out there in your country looking for this great opportunity but non could find this great opportunity.

I am very happy for you.You are a such a lucky person.There is nothing you need to worry about.

I am a man with a beautiful wife from a royal family and two kids.Boy and a Girl.You dont need to have any doubt in me.

I there by advise you to proceed with the payment for the procurement of your Non Residential Tax Clearance Certificate so as to enable CITI BANK commence on the transfer of your winning to you in your country.


To make payment find below the payment guildlines which should be made through WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER to our account officer:

RECEIVER'S NAME: MR.TONY ADAMS.
RECEIVER'S ADDRESS: Buckingham Palace, London SW1A
AMOUNT SENT:

As soon as you have made the payment, kindly send to us via email the scanned payment slip.
Also write through email the following which is on your slip:

Sender's Name:
Amount Sent:
MTCN:
Test question and answer if any:

Immediately we confirm the receipt of this, your Non residential tax clearance certificate will be prepared and given to you for you to go ahead and claim your funds.

Note:The charges cannot be Deducted from your winnings.This is in accordance with section 13(1)(n) of the National Gambling Act as adopted in 1993 and amended on 3RD July 1996 by the constitutional assembly.This is to protect winners and to avoid misappropriation of funds and win and win Situations.


Failure by you to abide to the lay down procedures and regulations, the remittance of the fund would be stopped with immediate effect. Therefore, the CITIBANK UNITED KINGDOM where hereby directed to stop further payment modalities of the above-mentioned until a TAX CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE is issued for the transfer of the said Funds.

Thanks in advance for your anticipated co-operation.

Yours Sincerely,
Mr.Smith Johnson (Esq.) MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT




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Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam